The Smell of Chinatown

It's my second-to-last day at my freelance job in Chinatown, and today I took the D train to Grand Street and exited at Grand and Chrystie. At this stop, before you even get up the subway station stairs, you can smell the dried fish that's being hawked on the streets outside. It's so familiar and specific and comforting, like the smell of those roasted candied nuts from the carts in midtown near Central Park. I'm really going to miss working in Chinatown. Next week I start a job in midtown on the west side. Where's the culinary fun in that? (Oh but there is a Magnolia Bakery across the street from the office...)